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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915250">Cupcakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611'>Joking611</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [52]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Affection through cooking, Baking, F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:21:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,259</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29915250</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Events are escalating as the final battle of the war draws closer, but somehow everyone still finds a way to express their affection for one another</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Shepard/Liara T'Soni</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cari'ssi'mi Drabbles [52]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/624863</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Cupcakes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Post Cerberus coup attempt, pre Horizon/Sanctuary</p><p>Semi-sequel to Resignation</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eliata kept a measured pace as she made her way down the thoroughfare.</p><p>She did nothing to draw attention to herself, keeping her head down as she walked. Nevertheless, her eyes swept the corridors as she moved. Huntress honed skills were alert for any potential threat.</p><p>Alert might be an understatement. Despite her calm exterior, Eliata was on edge.</p><p>The entire Citadel was a potential threat, it seemed. The normally sterile air still held a hint of smoke, while even this far from the Presidium many of the passageways still displayed visible damage from the Cerberus assault. It was the Battle of the Citadel all over again.</p><p>As for the strangers she moved among, it was obvious that she was not alone in recognizing that the Citadel would not be a safe harbor for much longer. The mood of quiet desperation was impossible to ignore.</p><p>She made a few unnecessary turns, as always, avoiding a direct path to her destination. She hadn’t identified any pursuit, but no huntress made it to the matriarch stage by taking unnecessary risks.</p><p>Not that she expected to live to be a matriarch, but still.</p><p>Although the quiet neighborhood close to Tayseri Point was tucked far away from the endless activity and commerce close to Presidium Junction, there was still enough foot traffic for her to disappear among. As she reached her destination for the third time, a quick glance confirmed that there were no suspicious faces around her. She slipped into a nondescript passage that lead to the small apartment her team was using as a base of operations. The compact residence was as unremarkable as any of the thousands in this part of the ward.</p><p>Until she opened the door.</p><p>The rich smell she’d first encountered on Mindoir filled the modest space. Unlike her time on the human world, the source of the aroma wasn’t Sarah, but the largest member of her huntress squad.</p><p>“Anedra,” she addressed the tall asari who seemed even larger than she was against the backdrop of the diminutive kitchen.</p><p>“Captain,” replied Anedra respectfully without looking up from the dough she was mixing.</p><p>“Report.” Although she couldn’t ask for a better team, there were times when Eliata wished that they weren’t all so unusually independent in the pursuit of their duties.</p><p>“The Normandy remains docked,” began the huntress, confirming what Eliata already knew. “Lysliis is asleep,” she nodded towards the lone bedroom in the apartment. “Teseka relieved her about an hour ago.”</p><p>“And Shepard? Liara?”</p><p>“Liara has remained in their apartment since yesterday. Denai reports that she has been making an unusually high number of intelligence requests.”</p><p>Eliata nodded. That coincided with what she’d expected to hear, given current circumstance.</p><p>“And Shepard?”</p><p>Now the beginnings of a smirk as Anedra began rolling the dough into small balls. “Sarah spent several hours in the company of Aria T’Loak before returning to the apartment herself.”</p><p><em>‘Wonderful,’ </em>thought Eliata, although the huntress could see no risk in such interaction. It wasn’t as if Liara’s bondmate wasn’t a spectre, after all. Nevertheless, she was well aware that such a visit would do nothing for Liara’s mood.</p><p>“She still intends to meet with Operative Lawson?”</p><p>Anedra nodded. “<em>Miranda</em>,” she stressed the name, “expects Shepard later this evening.”</p><p>“And you are not concerned?”</p><p>The tall huntress shrugged. “I searched Miranda’s apartment earlier this afternoon as part of my regular protection sweep. She remains heavily armed and well equipped, but Sarah’s visit will not subject her to any undue risk.”</p><p>“You’re certain?”</p><p>Anedra continued to portion out balls of dough as she ignored the question.</p><p><em>‘Fine,’ </em>thought Eliata. Again, she would prefer more discipline if it weren’t the end of the world.</p><p>But then it was, wasn’t it?</p><p>She sighed with the weight of the galaxy on her shoulders.</p><p>“What are you making?” She reached for one of the balls of dough.</p><p>“Ginger snaps.” Anedra gently slapped Eliata’s hand away. “Come back in an hour.”</p><p>The Captain looked around the tiny space. “Are there any cupcakes left?”</p><p>She received a glare in return.</p><p>. . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p>One good thing about dressing like a refugee during wartime was that no one paid much attention to you.</p><p>Even if you were Miranda Lawson.</p><p>With a tattered coat and hair in disarray she’d been able to make it to several of her blind drops over the course of the last day. She finally returned to her ‘stolen’ apartment in time for one specific rendezvous. If all went well, she planned to smuggle herself off the station in the morning.</p><p>She stopped short as she entered, paranoia and experience combining to tell her that someone else had been in the apartment.</p><p>She forced herself to maintain a semblance of calm as she moved quickly from lockbox to hidden cameras to secure datapads. Nothing had been disturbed.</p><p>As far as she could tell.</p><p>The thought that someone could make it through her safeguards yet leave no trace terrified her.</p><p>A quick search revealed nothing in the bedroom, lavatory, or living spaces, but in the kitchen she found the impossible.</p><p>A set of takeout containers revealed multiple courses of a gourmet meal. Asari, of course, as if she hadn’t suspected before she opened it. Her stomach growled in approval, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in… She didn’t know how long it had been.</p><p>One container was different from the others, which she opened to reveal five cupcakes. Odd. The box was obviously meant for six. She closed it in exasperation before picking up the note on the counter.</p><p>
  <em>‘Eat as much as you can. You will need your strength for what is to come. Remember that nothing is impossible for a willing heart.’</em>
</p><p>There was no signature.</p><p>“Shepard,” she hissed, even as she ignored the fact that such a note was not the spectre’s style.</p><p>“Yes?” Came an answer from behind her.</p><p>Miranda whirled, leveling her pistol at the spectre in question.</p><p>Sarah raised her hands with an easy grin. “You left the door open, you know.”</p><p>Miranda holstered her weapon before putting her face in her hands. Of course she’d secured the door behind her, but she was too tired to call Shepard out on her playful behavior.</p><p>“This isn’t a game, Shepard. I have to ask you something important.”</p><p>Now confusion crossed the spectre’s face. “What’s not a game?”</p><p>“There are easier ways to give me a heart attack than delivering dinner!”</p><p>Sarah shook her head. “Wasn’t me.”</p><p>“There are <em>cupcakes</em>, Shepard. We lived together on the Normandy for months! You don’t think I recognize one of your recipes?”</p><p>“Oh, I didn’t say it wasn’t my recipe.” Now the easy grin returned. “I just said it wasn’t me.”</p><p>Exhaustion, confusion, and hunger came together to leave Miranda speechless. “Wha-“</p><p>“Here.” Shepard stepped around her former XO to begin opening the various containers. “Go sit down. You obviously need to eat and rest.”</p><p>“That’s not why I-“</p><p>“Hold on," interrupted Sarah. "It can wait. Tell me while we eat. Whatever you need.”</p><p>“Shepard. You don't know. I don’t deserve…” Began Miranda, unexpectedly shaken by the blanket consent.</p><p>“Nonsense. You’re going to get some food in you, you're going to tell me what you need, and then we’re heading back to Anderson’s apartment so you can get some sleep without Eliata having to split up Liara’s protection detail.”</p><p>Miranda’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at the cupcakes.</p><p>. . . . . . . . . . . . .</p><p>Anedra nodded as she closed her omni-tool, severing her connection to Miranda’s “unhackable” security cameras before turning to take the ginger snaps out of the oven.</p><p> </p>
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